The Donoho Hotel

The story begins in the resort town of Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee — a place where, by the mid-19th century, natural mineral springs drew visitors seeking health, rest and recreation. On the site where the Donoho stood, the first hotel was built by Squire Donoho around 1901. That early building burned on August 27, 1915 (see photo of news article below). Many sources also state the original structure stood through 1913 and the new building was erected in 1914, however, newspaper articles about the loss of the first hotel do not line up with those dates.

In 1916, the current structure we knew and loved, was built by Brady Chitwood and his wife Tennie to replace the lost building. The Donoho was designed as a classic early-20th-century mineral spring resort hotel: a two-story weatherboard frame structure on a brick foundation, with full-length verandas on both stories so guests could relax and enjoy the Tennessee air. Inside, the layout included a lobby, lounge, dining hall and a rear kitchen wing added in the 1930's.

The hotel also offered multiple types of spring water with special names: “freestone” (unmineralized), “white”, “red”, “black” (high in magnesium/calcium) and the very mineral-rich “double & twist”. Guests would drink cups of “black” water each morning on the veranda.

In its heyday, Red Boiling Springs hosted thousands of summer visitors — one summer the tiny town of ~800 had over 14,000 visitors. Notable guests registered at the Donoho including governors and congressmen. The resort setting offered much more than just springs: bowling alleys, swimming, dancing, scenic verandas, and carriage rides. There were several hotels in Red Boiling Springs during this time. Now, only 3 remained: the Donoho, the Armour, and the Thomas House.

After the peak era, the resort industry declined (post-WWII, changing travel habits). By the 1950's many of the hotels in the area had closed or been lost. The Donoho changed hands in 1955 when the Chitwoods sold it to Edgar Decatur Hagen, who added many modern amenities like private baths. In 1986 the building (and several out-buildings on the property) were placed on the National Register of Historic Places as the “Donoho Hotel Historic District" along with the other two remaining hotels.

Because of these efforts, the Donoho remained one of only three historic resort hotels surviving in Red Boiling Springs. For over a century the Donoho stood as a physical link to the town’s resort past — the long verandas, the red-painted spring-pumps, the setting by Salt Lick Creek. Many Macon Countians, surrounding citizens and visitors have deep memories of the Donoho Hotel. Sadly this morning, we all learned that the Donoho has been lost to fire.

While we don’t yet know the full extent of the damage or what comes next, we know what this place meant:

- A gathering place, a landmark of hospitality and history.

- A testament to early 20th-century architecture and resort culture in Tennessee.

- A beloved building that captured memories for many generations of visitors and locals alike.

This is a moment to pause and reflect — on how the places we build become part of our collective memory, our identity. While the physical structure may now be severely damaged, the story, the spirit and the history of the Donoho survive in photographs, in stories, and in our community. We encourage anyone with old photos, memories or stories of staying at or visiting the Donoho to share them — to help preserve that legacy.